“This doesn’t sound like an apology.”
“Just...give me a minute. I...I felt wronged when I saw the way you looked at Ivy all those years ago...I felt like it was a betrayal. But I realized when I spoke to Ivy how much you mean to her...it seems like whatever happened between you two recently has changed things. I know now that it’s serious. I know you’re not just treating her like some one night stand or something...you care about her, don’t you?”
“I love her,” I growl. “I told you that, but you didn’t want to listen.”
“I know...I guess I couldn’t find it in me to trust you after three years apart. But I still know you, Kingsley...I thought about the way you fought for her. I thought about the way you protect her and the way you look at her...and I know that I don’t understand any of it. I’ve never felt that way for someone. But I know love when I see it...and even though I tried to convince myself that you’re no good...you’ve treated her with respect and kindness...and I haven’t been here for her the way I should’ve been.”
I sigh. “Look, Jasper. I don’t blame you, really? I understand that you were trying to protect your sister...but I’m not a bad guy. I’m going to give her the world. I’m going to keep her safe, you’ve done your job as the big brother. But I’m going to take it from here.”
Jasper hesitates before he nods. Then, to my surprise, he reaches out his hand to shake mine. “I’m sorry for everything, Kingsley. I hope we can be friends now and go back to the way things used to be. I know I messed up. I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t want to speak to me again…”
I cut him off by grasping his hand in my own. He looks at me in shock and then smiles. As we shake hands, our posture relaxes. We’ve both made mistakes. We’ve both been cold towards each other. But if we can survive this, we can survive anything.
And now it’s time to find my girl…
Ivy’s waiting for me at her father’s apartment when we arrive back there. Her eyes fill with shock and then happiness as I walk in through the door. She leaps on to me and I hold her close, spinning her around in my arms. Her family watches our reunion, still looking a little uncertain, but accepting. I know that in time, I’ll prove to them that me and her are perfect for each other. I know in time I’ll show them what a perfect match we are.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she sobs in my ear. As I put her down, I cup her face in my hands.
“I was always going to come back to you,” I growl. “And I’m never going to leave you again. You’re everything to me, Ivy. You’ve made my life worth living. I love you with all of my heart. And to make sure we’re never apart again.”
I get down on one knee in front of her. I don’t care that her father and her brother are watching. I need to do this now. Everyone in the room gasps, but I can’t stop smiling as I take my mother’s diamond wedding ring from my pocket. I’ve been carrying it since the day I was reunited with Ivy, knowing I’d give it to her some day soon...and now, while we’re riding the high of our reunion, it feels like the perfect time.
“Ivy...I’ve wanted you for so long that it feels like I’ve loved you all my life. You’ve made me a better man, you’ve brought out emotions I didn’t know I could feel, and you’ve shown me that I’m worthy of the love of a woman as incredible as you. I want to be with you every step of the way in your life, I want to support your career, build a family with you, and wake up next to you every morning. Ivy...this is our moment and I don’t want to let you slip away from me ever again. Will you marry me?”
She covers her mouth in shock. “Oh, Kingsley. I wasn’t expecting this at all...but yes! A million times yes! I love you so much.”
“I love you too, baby.”
Ivy’s father leads in applauding as I slip the ring onto her finger and rise to kiss her. As I hold her close, I know that I’ve finally got the life I so desperately want. I know we have something that will last a lifetime. And I know most of all that me and her are going to be so deliriously happy that we’ll spend our life feeling like we’re in a daydream. But this is real. We’ve got our happy ending now.
And I’ll never let it go again.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Ivy
It amazes me how much can change in a single year. In fact, I guess everything can change in a single day. It did for me and Kingsley, at least. Our romance blossomed in less than twenty-four hours, after all. Now, a year later, we’re about to stand up in front of our friends and family and say our vows.
Our three month old baby is cradled in Jasper’s son’s arms. Everything has changed for Jasper this year too. He went from being a bachelor who wanted nothing to do with anyone to a man in a loving, committed relationship to a woman who already had a child of her own. Now, Jasper is his father, in everyone’s eyes. The adoption isn’t complete yet, but when it is, Jasper is going to have a family of his own too.
Jasper watches Ben, his adopted son, holding my baby girl in his arms with pride. He’s changed so much, we both have. As we prepare for the ceremony, my bridesmaids are fussing around me, but Jasper seems calm, just happy to be in the presence of the children. As it turns out, he’s a natural as a Dad.
“She’s still so tiny,” Jasper comments as he watches my baby girl. We named her Harmony because that’s what she brought to our life. She’s so gentle and sweet that even when she cries it’s like songbirds singing. Kingsley and I adore her, of course, but Jasper is the most devoted uncle I’ve ever seen.
“She’ll grow up faster than any of us expect,” I sigh as I’m fixing my veil in place. “I want her to stay this way forever, but she won’t.”
“There’s so much to look forward to, though,” Jasper exclaims. “Taking her to school for the first time, teaching her to ride a bike, reading her first story to her, and don’t get me started on her teenage years.”
“I can’t even think about it!” I cry, shaking my head. “She’s so precious and small. Imagining the life she has ahead of her just seems so scary to me.”
“I know, I know,” Jasper says with a smile. “But it’s going to be fine. You’re an amazing mother. And besides...I get the feeling there are going to be plenty of other kids after Harmony.”
I smile. Jasper knows me well. I’ve always wanted to have a big chaotic household full of kids. Kingsley wants the same. In fact, I have a wedding gift of my own for him. I took a pregnancy test three days ago, I haven’t told anyone, but we’re going to have another baby. It’s a little scary since I’ve only just recovered from having Harmony but I can’t wait for this next adventure. Someday soon, the house is going to be full of children that I can love and nurture.
We bought this house out in the countryside not long after Kingsley proposed to me. We had the money, of course, and with my new bestselling novel, we’ll never worry for money ever. Now, I can see it as a part of my future. It feels kind of quiet now, but once it’s filled with children, it’ll be the safe haven I’ve always wanted.
Our garden is huge and beautiful, making it the perfect place for our wedding today. It’s hosted plenty of memorable events already. We had our baby shower here, and our first dinner with Jasper, his girlfriend and his son. We’ve had birthdays and barbecues and even my hen do in this garden. Now, butterflies fill my stomach as I prepare for my big day. My wedding dress is fit for a princess. The sun is shining and the Prosecco will soon be flowing. I don’t even mind that I won’t be able to drink it, this day has me drunk with happiness before it’s even started.
“Are you ready for your vows?” my father asks as he comes out of the house. I expressed my concerns to him more than once...as a writer, I’m expected to get up there and say the most beautiful words possible to show my love for Kingsley. It took me a long time to decide what I wanted to say, but in the end, I decided I would know what to say when I saw his face. Now, I have nothing prepared, except my heart to put on the line in front of all our guests.
“It’ll be okay,” I tell him, t
hough I do feel a little nervous. But I know for sure that no matter how this day pans out, I’ll be happy. I’ll remember this day forever, one way or another...and I know this is the right thing for me. Some might say I’m rushing my marriage, but my love for Kingsley will never die. I truly believe we’re soulmates and the union we make today is only a show of what that means to me. In my heart, I’m already bonded to him for life.
“Then I think you’re ready,” he says gently. Jasper straightens his tie and gets his son ready to go. He’s carrying Harmony down the aisle so that Jasper and my father can give me away. Jasper is doubling up as Kingsley’s best man now that they’re thick as thieves again, but he insisted it would be wrong if he didn’t get to be at his sister’s side as she walked down the aisle.
A lot has changed this year. I feel closer to my family than ever before. Kingsley and Jasper’s rekindled friendship has made them both better people. We all spend a lot of time altogether and even despite our rocky past last year, it feels like we’re a real family unit. This is what I’ve always hoped for and now that I have it, it feels even more perfect than I could’ve imagined. Now, I’m just desperate to get out there and marry the man I love.
Our guests are settled in their seats. My bridesmaids pick up the back of my dress and my brother and father take an arm each of mine. Our string quartet begins the wedding song and I begin to float down the aisle toward Kingsley.
He looks so damn handsome in his suit and tie. Each time I see him I can barely believe that he chose me to be the woman he spends his life with. But with each day we spend together, I believe more and more that he meant it when he promised me forever. The way he looks at me makes my heart melt each and every time. The way he touches me is so tender and yet so passionate. I can’t stop staring at him. The man of my dreams is waiting for me with a smile, ready to commit to a future where it’s me and him against the world.
He smiles as I reach him. Jasper and my father each kiss my cheek and then they hand me over to Kingsley. He takes my hands in his and I don’t listen to a word that’s being said, getting lost in his eyes the entire time. I still can’t believe he’s mine and always will be. He brushes his thumb across my knuckles and I feel warmth filling my heart. This is it. This is everything.
It’s time for the vows. Kingsley is due to go first. He clears his throat, looking a little nervous as he consults his notes sheepishly.
“We had a strange start to our relationship,” he begins slowly. “We knew each other once upon a time...but then when I saw you at a party, I realized you were the one for me. Three years of endless waiting brought me back together with you by fate...but you were pretending to be someone you’re not...Roxanne.”
The audience laughs. Everyone here knows about my pen name which I still use now to this date. I blush at the laughter, but I’m smiling.
“You showed up and I could see that you had little confidence in yourself. You were withdrawn and shy...it was like you were scared to be the woman you are today. But soon after we were reunited, we became friends...then lovers...then we got engaged and you became pregnant with our first child. It was a whirlwind, but for me, it all seemed so natural. Because I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted over those three years. And every time I thought about what that was, I came back to you.”
I can hear my father sniffling in the front row. I have tears of my own in my eyes. He’s an expressive man, my Kingsley, but mostly with his actions, not his words. Hearing him tell me how much I mean to him feel so good that I could cry.
“This is my fourth year of loving you and I feel lucky to be celebrating a year of the feeling being mutual. Marrying you today is everything I’ve ever wanted. I can’t wait for our future together and I can’t wait to build the family we’ve both dreamed of our entire lives.”
I wipe my eyes as the audience applauds. I feel even more nervous to speak now that he’s said such beautiful words to me. Nothing can compare to his speech just then. But if I speak from the heart, I hope I can make him feel as good as he’s just made me feel. I squeeze his hand.
“Anyone who knows me knows I’m a romantic,” I begin. “I guess that’s why I’ve always been drawn to stories about love...and it’s partly why I wrote my debut novel. But when I wrote it, I had no idea what love would feel like. I knew it would take me over completely. I knew nothing else would compare to it, but I didn’t know what it would physically feel like. And now I do. I know it feels like coming home. I know it feels like catching the eye of a stranger in the street and having them smile at you. I know it feels like a kiss pressed directly onto my heart from your lips only. And I know it feels like butterflies in my stomach whenever I’m around you. It feels familiar and safe and warm...and it’s everything I dreamed it would be and more. I guess I’ll be able to write about it in my next novel.”
Kingsley laughs and some others do too. I bow my head shyly for a moment before looking back up into Kingsley’s eyes.
“This year has been the best of my life. It’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope all the years that follow for us are just as crazy...and I can’t wait to share every single moment with you...and our children.” I pause for a moment. I think now is the perfect time to make the reveal of what is next for me and him. I smile.
“Kingsley...we’re going to have another baby. I found out the other day...and I wanted it to be a surprise, our family is getting a little bigger.”
His eyes widen with elation and he picks me up, spinning me around as though I’m light as a feather. Everyone applauds for us as we celebrate a magical moment. My heart is so full that it feels like it might burst. I’m so in love with him and my life and my future that I can barely contain my joy. I don’t even have a ring on my finger yet and I still know that this day is the best of my life. But every day with him is perfect. Every day with him feels good enough to keep forever in a scrapbook. Every day is one I want to remember forever and hold close like a warm hug. There are going to be so many amazing days with him...and I can’t wait to experience every single one.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
Kingsley
There are burgers and sausages sizzling on the barbecue. The garden is filled with my family and the sun is shining. Harmony and Paige are sitting back to back, reading books together while Lucas helps me out with the food. Jasper’s boys, Ben and Oscar, come running over.
“We can help.” Ben insists. As the oldest of all of them at nineteen, he acts as a kind of guardian to the other kids. He’s always eager to help too. He leans in close to me to explain why he followed Oscar. “He can’t be trusted with food...he’ll eat it all if no one keeps an eye on him.
“Well, we can’t have that. I guess you guys could take over for a while though...do you want to stay with them, Lucas?”
My son nods his head eagerly. He’s not the most talkative child, but he loves being around Oscar and Ben. Growing up in a house with two sisters has made him eager for male company. I ruffle his hair, hoping that Ben will make sure everything runs smoothly as I do my rounds of the party.
It’s our middle child, Paige’s birthday today. Like Harmony, she has a sweet temperament and parties aren’t really her thing. She’s much happier with her nose buried in a book. With that in mind, I spend an hour or so distracting guests as they try to get close to the birthday girl, leaving her in peace to read with her older sister. I catch her eye as a line forms to start grabbing food from the barbecue and she smiles, giving me a thumbs up.
I haven’t seen Ivy much since the party began. Much like me, she’s set on making today go well. But each time I catch a glimpse of her in the garden, my stomach twists with excitement. Even all these years later, she still manages to excite me as much as the day we met. I pause for a moment, watching her sip Prosecco with Jasper and her father in a sundress. The dress hugs her gorgeous curves and makes me desperate to go over and mount her right this second. But I guess we’l
l have to wait until later...after all, we have guests.
It’s not long before the kids begin to gravitate toward their mother. Ivy’s face lights up as Paige bounds over to tell her she’s just finished reading her latest novel. Since having kids Ivy has turned her attention to children’s fiction, perfectly tailored to fit the needs of her bookworm daughters. Ivy moves without a second thought away from the other guests to sit with her daughter and hear her thoughts. Then Lucas runs over, bored of the barbecue and wanting a hug from Ivy. Finally, Harmony joins them to play big sister to Lucas, playing some game that has them running rings around Ivy and Paige as they continue to talk. I smile at them. It’s my very own vision of Happy Families. Our family is a little crazy at times, especially when all of the extended family is around, but I wouldn’t change it for the world...especially when I can see how happy it makes my wife and kids.
Our life is simple. Ivy writes books and I sell them. Our kids read and play and create stories of their own. Our whole life feels like a dreamworld and it inspires our kids to be happy and creative. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for them, and it makes my heart feel full.
I continue to do my rounds of the guests, but after a while I gravitate to join my family. I love spending time with them. In fact, I love all the little things we do together. I love being a part of the school run and watching my kids in school plays. I love cooking dinner for them on Fridays and taking the takeout order for them all on Saturday as they squabble over what we should have. I love the moments where Lucas has scraped his knee, or a boy has broken Harmony’s heart again, or Paige is devastated about the ending to a book...because even though I hate to see my children sad, I love being there to help them whenever they need it. I feel grateful that I can fix things for them. I feel grateful that we have everything we need when we’re all together.
Claimed By The Publisher: An Instalove Possessive Alpha Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 159) Page 6